Subbase for lamp-sockets.



No. 768,787. PATENTED AUG 30, 1904.

R. B. BENJAMIN. SUBBASE FOR LAMP SOCKETS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 768,787. PATENTED AUG. so, 1904. R. B. BENJAMIN. SUBBASE FOR LAMP SOCKETS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7. 1903.

NO MODEL. 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Witnesses. Inventor.

UNITED STATES Patented August 30, 1904.

PATENT OEETCE.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COR- PORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SUBBASE FOR LAMP-SOCKETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 768,787, dated Augu 30, 1904.

Application filed May '7, 1903. Serial No. 156,019. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Subbases for Lamp-Sockets, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in subbases for lamp-holding devices.

It has for its object to combine, with a plurality of lamp-holding devices mounted on a I 5 suitable base, a supplemental base having suitable terminals which may be readily connected to the contacts of said devices.

The invention in its preferred embodiment consists of the details of construction, ar-

rangement, and combination of parts, as hereinafter specified, and pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which show several forms of my invention which I have designed for practical use, Figure 1 is a plan.

2 5 view of my preferred form of subbase. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line a; w of Fig. 1. Fig. 4c is a View of a cluster device and my improved subbase associated with each other. Fig. 5 is a plan 3 view of amodification of my invention. Figs. 6 and 7 are side views thereof, parts being broken away to more clearly disclose certain features of the construction. Fig. 8 is an elevation of the modified form of subbase asso- 3 5 ciated with a cluster device with parts being broken away of each to show features of the invention. Fig. 9 is still another modification of my invention. Fig. 10 is a side view thereof, and Fig. 11 is a sectional view on the line 4 y y of Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is an elevation, parts being broken away, of a cluster device connected with the modified form of subbase shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 13 is a view of another modification of my invention. Fig.14 is a sectional View on the line 2 z of the modification of my invention shown in Fig. 13, and Fig. 15 is a side View thereof.

Throughout the accompanying drawings like reference characters designate similar and corresponding parts.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the base is shown as constructed of a preferably circular block made of porcelain or other suitable insulating material. This block is preferably cut away at its opposite sides to pro- 5 5 vide fiat faces to which the end of a molding 3 for the supply-wires may be fitted, as shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 1. Of course cleats L or any other means may be employed for holding the wires, as illustrated at the right-hand side of Fig. 1, if desired. The

form of block which is used is not essential,

the same being adapted to the position in which said block is to be used. The base 1 is preferably provided at opposite sides with 6 recesses or depressions 5, and extending entirely across the block are grooves 6, which are separated from one another. These grooves are formed to receive the supplywires. In each of said recesses is prefer- 7 ably arranged a plate 7, which has one end extending out over the groove and turned upwardly, as at 8. This plate is preferably secured to the baseby a screw 9, which is passed through said base and threaded in a nut 10, arranged upon said plate. The nut is held from turning by an upturned lug 11,

formed on said plate, and to said plate, preferably between the nut and said lug, is secured by solder or other suitable means a wire 12. Each plate is also provided with a binding-screw 13, arranged to grip one of the supply-wiresbetween the upturned edge of said plate and its head. The wires when they are laid into the grooves of said block have 5 portions of their insulation opposite said plates removed and the bare wires laid upon the plates and gripped thereto by the hinding-screws. Upon the said subbase as thus constructed is arranged a base 1 1, which carries a plurality of lamp-holding devices 15. These devices have suitable contacts associated therewith for the lamps. The wires 12, connected with the terminal plates upon the subbase, are connected with the bindingposts 16 and 17 of the contacts of said lampholding devices, whereby the lamps are connected to the supply-wires.

Of course any form of device having a plurality of lamp-supporting means may be employed in connection with the subbase, and the means for connecting the terminal plates to the contacts of the lamp-supporting devices may be other than that which I have described, and in the several modifications which I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings I have shown several different ways of connecting the terminal plates with the lampsupporting devices. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to t the subbase and base for the lamp-holding devices are provided with suitable holes for screws to secure said bases in position. These screws preferably pass through the base of the lamp-supporting devices and the subbase and have their heads bearing on the base of the lamp-supporting devices and their threaded ends secured in a suitable support.

By reference to Figs. 5 to 8 another form of my invention will be discerned, wherein the block or subbase is of a construction like that above described. The terminal plates 18, secured to the block by screws 19, have each one end, 20, projecting outover one of the grooves for the supply-Wires and provided with a binding-screw 21 and the other end, 22, turned slightly outward from the block and formed of such material as will have a spring action. The base 23, supporting the plurality of lamp-holding devices 24, has carried thereby strips 25, which are suitably connected with the contacts for the lamps supported by said devices and have their ends arranged to pass under the clips 22 of the terminals of the subbase. This form of subbase is secured directly to the desired support and then the cluster supported therefrom by placing the ends of the contact-strips 25 under the clips of the terminal plates of said subbase. These strips 25 not only support the main base in position, but also connect the lamps to the su1')plywircs through the terminals of the base, which may be joined to the supply-wires in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 9 to 12 is shown a further modification of my invention. The terminal plates 28, havingthe binding-screws29, are arranged upon the subbase, with the central portion thereof passing over the grooves which receive the supply-wires.

The ends 30 of said plates are secured in the recesses in the face of the subbase by screws 31, and the other ends, 32, of said plates are fastened upon the face of said subbase by screws 33. The lamp holding devices have their base provided with suitable strips 34:, which are arranged to make spring-contact with the portions of the terminal plates of the subbase arranged upon the faces of said subbase. The device for supporting the plurality of lamps is preferably supported in position by screws passed therethrough and also through the subbase and fastened to the desired support. The springcontacts described are suitably connected with the contacts of the devices for supporting the lamp and electrically connect said contacts with the terminal plates of the subbase.

In Figs. 13 to 15 the terminal plates of the subbase are somewhat similar in construction to those shown in the embodiment of my invention disclosed in Figs. 9 to 12 and arranged upon the base in a somewhat similar manner. However, in this instance only the ends of said plates located in the depression in the subbase are secured to the subbase, and the ends thereof arranged upon the face of the base are provided with threaded holes These holes are adapted to receive screws which support the base of the lamp-holding devices in position on said subbase and connect the associated contacts of the lamp-holding devices to the terminal plates. Only the subbase of this construction of my invention is designed to be directly connected with the support.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a main base, of a lampholding device or devices mounted directly on said base and provided with suitable contacts for cooperating with the lamp-terminals, a subbase adapted to receive said main base and carrying suitable binding-posts for the supply-wires situated within the boundary of said subbase and adapted to rest between the subbase and said main base so that the live conducting parts are entirely inclosed, and means operatively organized in connection with said. lamp-holding device or devices and associated contacts for electrically and detachably connecting said lamp-contacts directly carried on said main base with the binding-posts on said. subbase.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a main base, of a lampholding device or devices mounted directly on said base and provided with suitable contacts for cooperation with the lamp-terminals, binding-posts suitably associated with said contacts, a subbase adapted to receive said main base and carrying suitable binding-posts for the supply-Wires, and flexible Wires secured l scribed my name in the presence of two Witat one end to said subbase and electrically nesses. connected with the binding-posts carried on said subbase and adapted to be respectively 5 connected at the opposite ends to the binding- WVitnesses:

posts associated with said lamp-contacts. M. R. ROCKFORD,

In witness whereof I have hereunto sub- EDWIN B. H. TOWER, Jr.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIV. 

